Best of Morocco Family Holiday

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Take in the sights, sounds and spices that keep travellers coming back to Morocco again and again.

Take your family to experience the best of Morocco's many highlights. With incredible food, bustling markets, Hollywood's favourite film sets, windswept dunes and even a camel ride, there'll be something to please everyone over this ten-day trip.

Lock in your 2019 holiday for only 1000 ZAR!

Lock in your 2019 holiday for only 1000 ZAR!

Offer applies to trips departing before 14 December 2019.

1. 1000 ZAR deposit offer must be redeemed between 15 January and 28 February 2019 and can be used on any 2019 trip with departure before 14 December.
2. Offer excludes Christmas departures from 14 December – 31 December 2019.
3. The deposit can be used towards any Intrepid small group adventure and Intrepid short breaks, with the below exclusions: Polar trips – includes all itineraries in the Arctic and Antarctica; Private groups; Gorilla treks where pre-purchased permits are required to secure the trek to see the Gorillas. Excluded trips are: Gorillas & Game Parks (YXOG), Gorillas, Game Parks & Beaches (YXOCC), Gorillas to Vic Falls (YXOIC), Africa Encompassed Southbound (YXOEC), Beaches, Game Parks & Gorillas (YXOGC), Vic Falls to Gorillas (YXOFC), Africa Encompassed Northbound (UXODC), Uganda Gorilla Short Break: Basix (YGAG), Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda (YGAR); Inca Trail trips where pre-purchased permits are required to secure the trek. Excluded trips are: Classic Peru (GGSD), Epic Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia (GGYQC), Epic Ecuador to Argentina via The Inca Trail (GGYCC), Epic Peru, Bolivia & Argentina (GGYBC), Epic Peru to Brazil (GGYDC), Epic South America (GGYEC), Essential Peru (GGYE), Essential Quito to Lima (GGYQ), Explore Peru & Bolivia (GGSUC), Galapagos & Inca Trail Adventure (GGTWC), Galapagos & Peru Adventure (GGSYC), Inca Encounter (GGKY), Inca Trail (GGTBC), Inca Trail & Amazon (GGSEC), Inca Trail Express (GGTA), Inca Trail Extension (GGHC), Machu Picchu Explorer (GGHT), Majestic Peru (GGKP), One Week in Peru (GGYC), Peru, Chile & Argentina Explorer (GGCLC), Peru Encompassed (GGSA), Peru Essentials (GGBL), Peru Family Holiday (GGFB), Real Peru (GGYA), Real Peru to Bolivia (GGYP), Sacred Land of the Incas (GGSQ), Six Days on the Inca Trail (GGYM). Normal deposits apply to these trips.
4. All trips from the 18 to 29s range (unless specified above) have a standard low deposit of ZAR999 which will not change during this campaign.
5. Balance is payable within 56 days of departure except for Intrepid Adventure Cruising departures which are payable within 90 days of departure.
6. Full name of passengers must be provided at time of booking. Passengers are not able to hold multiple departures for overlapping dates.
7. Offer applies to land element of tour only and cannot be redeemed against international flights.
8. The offer can only be applied to new bookings. Under no circumstances will the offer be applied to existing bookings or used in conjunction with another offer or discount.
9. Deposit amount is payable per person.
10. If the traveller wishes to change dates or tours, they will be required to pay the full ZAR4000 deposit (ZAR6000 deposit for Adventure Cruising) towards the new trip. This is applicable even inside the promotional period.
11. Prices, itineraries and inclusions are subject to change without notice. Standard booking conditions apply as per Intrepid website, www.intrepidtravel.com.
12. The trip is subject to availability and confirmation by Intrepid Travel at time of booking.
13. This offer is valid for residents of Africa only.

Why you'll love this trip

Spend an evening camped in the Sahara, surrounded by windswept dunes under a thousand (more or less) stars.

Whether travelling by train, bus or camel, there's always something to see in this fascinating country.

Enjoy exploring the famous cities of Fes and Marrakech during both guided tours and plenty of free time as a family.

Morocco’s sights, sounds and flavours never fail to surprise, from ancient Roman ruins to the rocky Atlas Mountains to the bustling city medinas.

Is this trip right for you?

Just as a heads up before you book: this trip is new to our range this year. And while we have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.

Gallery

Itinerary

Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Morocco and Casablanca, a city modelled after Marseille and famous for its art deco buildings and, of course, the Humphrey Bogart and Ingred Berman classic. Your family adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm, but because there's only a little free time included here, we recommend arriving a day earlier to fully explore the city. A trip to the Hassan II Mosque is a definite highlight, or why not wander around the old medina, watch the locals play football on the beach or sip a glass of sweet mint tea in one of the many cafes.

Accommodation

Hotel Amouday or similar (1 night)

Optional Activities

Casablanca - Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque - MAD120

Meals Included

Taking the train in a foreign country is an exhilirating experience and after breakfast this morning you'll catch one from Casablanca to Meknes, one of Morocco's four historical capital cities. Sultan Moulay Ismail turned Meknes from a provincial town into a spectacular Imperial city during the 17th century, and you can visit his immense Heri es Souani granary and crumbling palaces.

Your leader will take you on an orientation walk around town with an opportunity to have lunch at a local cafe in the medina, then the rest of the day is free to explore as a family.

Accommodation

Hotel Swani or similiar (1 night)

Included Activities

Meknes - Guided walking tour

Meals Included

Travel through rolling hills and olive groves to the archaeological site of Volubilis, en route to the great city of Fes. This World Heritage site was once a provincial Roman capital, a distant outpost of the empire, and the remains are really impressive. Take a tour around the ruins with a local guide, checking out the buildings and fantastic mosaics along the Decumanus Maximus. Continue two hours to Fes, where the group will spend the next two nights.

This is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco. It's vibrant, noisy, fascinating and a feast for the senses with a hueg, well-preserved Old Town that's the mother of all medinas. The afternoon is free to explore and there'll be something to surprise and entertain the family at every corner.

Accommodation

Hotel L'escale or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

Volubilis - Guided tour

Meals Included

Breakfast

Special Information

Please remember to pack drinking water, hat, sunglasses and sun cream for this tour as it may get hot and you will be exposed to the sun

After breakfast take a guided walking tour of the Old City, known locally as Fes el Bali. Step back into the Middles Ages as you explore the labyrinth of the medina, which which buzzes with craftspeople, markets, tanneries and mosques. This isn't your average shopping centre, and donkeys pass through the car-free streets piled unbelievably high with goods. Explore the separate speciality sections of the souk then visit Medresse el Attarine and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th-century inn. Spend some time overlooking the iconic dye pits at the Chauwara Tannery, then watch traditional potters at work in a ceramics victory. Finally, perhaps enjoy a delicious group dinner of Moroccan specialities like harira (chickpea soup) and chicken-stuffed pastilla with couscous.

Accommodation

Hotel L'escale or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

Fes - Guided walking tour

Meals Included

Today it's time to leave the city behind and embrace the simplicity and beauty of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Journey on a private minibus through fertile valleys, pine forests and barren, rocky landscapes for approximately four hours. You may see wandering nomadic shepherds as they tend to their flocks, or even catch a glimpse of barbary apes – North Africa's only monkey – before arriving in Midelt. This is a market town, originally built as a base for mining in the area, which is surrounded by farms and orchards. Take a walk exploring the village of Bremmem for an insight into the local farming life, or perhaps check out an optional traditional music performance in Midelt.

Accommodation

Hotel Taddart or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

Midelt - Kasbah Myriam

Meals Included

Travel by private minivan toward the mighty Sahara (approximately five hours), during which there'll be plenty of chances to stop and take in the views of kasbahs and palmeries (lush valleys with date palms, fields and orchards). As you pass through frontier towns like Eerfoud and Rissani, you'll see the scenery alternate between barren mountainsides and fertile valleys until you reach the small Saharan village of Merzouga. Upon arriving, the group will leave their baggage, pack a daypack and saddle up for a one-hour camel ride into the desert at sunset. The Erg Chebbi dunes are huge windswept dunes and quintessential Morocco, located just 20 kilometres from the Algerian border. Tonight you'll sleep in a desert camp under the stars and our local friends will prepare a hearty feast. All you and your family need to do is sit back, relax and take in the Milky Way.

Accommodation

Desert Camp (1 night)

Included Activities

Merzouga - Camel safari

Meals Included

A scenic drive past ancient kasbahs, former military outposts, mountains, valleys and fields will take you to Ait Benhaddou (approximately seven hours). Film buffs will get a kick out of having lunch in Ouarzazate, where productions including Black Hawk Down, The Sheltering Sky and Lawrence of Arabia were filmed. After lunch, continue to Ait Benhaddou which was once a cruicial stop for carvans as they carried salt across the Sahara. Today, its grand kasbah has been listed as a World Heritage site and you'll enjoy a tour of it in the afternoon. For dinner, enjoy some classic Moroccan fare – tajine and couscous.

Accommodation

Ksar Ljanoub or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

Ait Benhaddou - Kasbah visit

Meals Included

Marrakech bound for our final destination. Marrakech is a feast for the senses. Be enticed by the alluring scents and brilliant colours of the spice markets, the sounds of the musicians, the rich folds of carpets, delectable foods, acrobats and perfumed gardens. Perhaps join the thronging crowds for dinner at the famous Djemaa el Fna, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. When night falls on this square it transforms in to a hive of activity. Henna-painters, performers and storytellers share the square with a street food bazaar, packed with stalls loaded with Moroccan delicacies, including snail soup! Perhaps enjoy a bite of famous Moroccan pastries with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and then maybe finish your day with a cup of tea on one of the roof-top restaurants overlooking the square.

Accommodation

Hotel Meriem or similar (1 night)

Meals Included

Enjoy a guided tour of the city after breakfast, including the beautiful Palais Badi. The afternoon will be free to explore, so perhaps visit the well-known Koutoubia Mosque and its 12th-century minaret, which was the prototype for the Giralda Tower in Seville. Wander through the tropical gardens of French painter Jacques Majorelle, which are now owned by Yves Saint Laurent, then you may like to check out the Palais Bahia. Whatever you decide, the experience of exploring Morocco's medinas is a fantastic experience in itself, but your leader will be on hand to help you locate any sights and give suggestions on how to spend the day.

Important notes

Please note that these trips are for adults and children travelling together and there must be at least one child under 18 with you.

Minimum age for children on this trip is 5 years old.

A discount of 10% applies on this trip to children 17 years and under at time of travel.

A single supplement is available on this trip with exception of Day 6 (desert camp)

Ramadan
Ramadan is an exciting time to travel through Morocco but there are also a few things to bear in mind.
Meal times will be a lot later than you may be used to, in particular dinner. You will find restaurants will open at 7-7:30pm in the evening for dinner. Which will mean your family may not be eating dinner until 8-8:30pm. Likewise breakfast may not start until 7am.
As you travel through the countryside there will be limited small road side cafes to stop at. Your leader will pre-plan where to stop to ensure families have access to snacks and bathroom stops along the way.
Alcohol - Morocco is a Muslim country therefore alcohol is not readily available, particularly during Ramadan.

Wifi
While wifi is available in our hotels it is important to note that wifi works best in the hotel foyer and will be very slow in the rooms. An easier option may be to purchase a sim card in country to stay connected.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.